The young Lions took a 2-0 lead in the three match series with an emphatic 111 run victory over Australia U 19 in the second Youth ODI which concluded at Colts Cricket Club Grounds today.
A similar story was written as the visitors yet again suffered a setback especially in the batting department.
Batting first, Sri Lanka got off to a poor start when opener Sadeera Samarawickrama was sent back to the dressing room by Matthew Fotia in the first over. His partner Hashan Dumindu was later joined by the skipper Kusal Mendis but the centurion from the first ODI couldn’t enjoy much success in the middle when left arm seamer’s second strike removed him in the 3rd over.
However the lads recovered to a respectable position when Hashan Dumindu and wicket keeper Minod Bhanuka added 50 runs for the 3rd wicket.
After the partnership was broken by the left arm spinner from Darwin, Thomas Andrews, wickets started to fall at regular intervals where at one point the scoreboard read 127 for 5 after 31 overs. But Priyamal Perera and Harsha Rajapaksha began to make their intentions clear when the pair put on 81 runs in just 13 overs. Priyamal reached a composed half century while Harsha Rajapaksha scored 43 runs off 39 balls. Although later both were removed by Fotia, a quick 22 run – partnership in 2 overs between Binura Fernando and Anuk Fernando eventually took the Sri Lankans to a challenging total of 248. Matthew Fotia managed to end up with 6 wickets for 39.
Chasing a target of 249, the youngsters from down under were rattled at the beginning when Binura Fernando sent Matthew Short back to the pavilion in the first over. His partner, the danger man and skipper the skipper Jaron Morgan continued to display some aggressive batting but Anuk Fernando dismissed him for 24 runs before further damage is done. Damien Mortimer who joined Morgan at the fall of the first wicket continued his solitary battle despite wickets falling at regular intervals made him run out of partners at the other end.
Harsha Rajapaksha who brought 43 valuable runs from the bat joined Lakshan Jayasinghe and Anuk Fernando with his left arm spin bowling to topple the Australian U 19 middle order. It was again the batting which proved to be the downfall for the visitors where only two batsmen were able to reach a score of more than 20 runs and subsequently being bowled out for 137 runs, giving the hosts a comprehensive 111 run win. Harsha Rajapaksha grabbed 3 wickets for 33 runs.
The two sides will play their 3rd and final Youth ODI on the Thursday at R. Premadasa Stadium before they head to UAE for the U 19 World Cup and no doubt the Australians will be looking for consolation to end this tour on a high note.
Scores in brief –
Sri Lanka U 19 – 248 all out in 48.5 overs (Priyamal Perera 58, Harsha Rajapaksha 43, Hashan Dumindu 37: Matthew Fotia 6/39)
Australia U 19 – 137 all out in 41.4 overs (Damien Mortimer 41, Jaron Morgan 24: Harsha Rajapaksha 3/33, Lakshan Jayasinghe 2/13, Anuk Fernando 2/24)
